4 weeks ago
Former President Donald Trump lauded nan first witnesser successful his proceedings successful Manhattan, erstwhile tabloid patient David Pecker, arsenic a "nice guy" earlier Thursday up of court.
"He’s been very nice. David’s been very nice. He’s a bully guy," Trump told nan media while gathering pinch building crews successful nan metropolis early Thursday morning.
Pecker is nan prosecution team's first witnesser successful nan NY v. Trump case, wherever nan 45th president is facing 34 charges of falsifying business records.
Pecker is nan erstwhile CEO of American Media Inc., nan genitor institution of publications specified arsenic nan National Enquirer, who has known Trump stretching backmost to nan 1980s. The erstwhile media patient took nan guidelines earlier this week, wherever he testified regarding "catch and termination schemes" to allegedly hide antagonistic accusation astir Trump up of nan 2016 election.
LIVE UPDATES: TRUMP NY TRIAL TESTIMONY RESUMES AS SUPREME COURT HEARS IMMUNITY ARGUMENTS
Former US president and Republican statesmanlike campaigner Donald Trump leaves Trump Tower to be his proceedings for allegedly covering up hush money payments linked to extramarital affairs successful New York, connected April 22, 2024. Donald Trumps unprecedented criminal proceedings is group for opening statements aft last assemblage action ended Friday, leaving nan Republican statesmanlike campaigner facing weeks of dispute grounds that will overshadow his White House campaign. (CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images)
"Catch-and-kill" schemes are understood arsenic strategies utilized by media and publishing companies to bargain nan authorities of a person’s communicative pinch nary volition of publishing it. The NY v. Trump lawsuit specifically revolves astir a costs of $130,000 fixed to erstwhile pornographic character Stormy Daniels by erstwhile Trump individual lawyer successful 2016 to allegedly soundlessness her claims she had an extramarital matter pinch Trump successful 2006.
SUPREME COURT TO HEAR ARGUMENTS IN TRUMP PRESIDENTIAL IMMUNITY CASE
David Pecker is questioned during erstwhile U.S. President Donald Trump's criminal proceedings connected charges that he falsified business records to conceal money paid to soundlessness porn prima Stormy Daniels successful 2016, successful Manhattan authorities tribunal successful New York City, U.S. April 23, 2024 successful this courtroom sketch. (REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg )
Pecker testified Thursday that he first heard of Daniels' claims of a intersexual matter pinch Trump aft nan notorious "Access Hollywood" portion was unearthed up of nan predetermination successful 2016. He said that Daniels was trading authorities to her communicative for $120,000, which Pecker said nan media institution could not afford.
TRUMP ATTORNEY, SUPREME COURT JUSTICE CLASH ON WHETHER A PRESIDENT WHO 'ORDERED' A 'COUP' COULD BE PROSECUTED
David Pecker, chair and CEO of American Media, speaks astatine nan Shape and Men's Fitness Super Bowl Party successful New York City, U.S., January 31, 2014. REUTERS/Marion Curtis/File Photo (Reuters)
"I americium not a bank," Pecker said he told National Enquirer editor Dylan Howard of nan extremity and waste of Daniels' story. Howard past told Pecker he would interaction Cohen astir nan matter, Pecker said.
Prosecutors allege that aft Cohen paid Daniels successful speech for soundlessness connected nan alleged affair, Trump fraudulently logged reimbursements to nan individual lawyer arsenic ineligible expenses. Prosecutors successful nan lawsuit are trying to beryllium that Trump falsified business records successful "furtherance of different crime." The DA's agency said nan different crime is nan usurpation of a New York rule against "conspiracy to promote aliases forestall election."
TRUMP SAYS NY JUDGE MERCHAN 'THINKS HE IS ABOVE THE SUPREME COURT' AFTER BARRING HIM FROM IMMUNITY ARGUMENTS
A tribunal sketch depicts nan 3rd time of erstwhile President Donald Trump’s criminal proceedings successful Manhattan Criminal Court connected Thursday, April 18, 2024. Jury action for nan alleged hush money lawsuit remains ongoing aft 2 seated jurors were dismissed earlier today. (Christine Cornell)
Simultaneous to nan proceedings Thursday, nan Supreme Court heard oral arguments for different Trump case: Special Counsel Jack Smith’s predetermination interference charges. The lawsuit charged Trump pinch conspiracy to defraud nan United States; conspiracy to obstruct an charismatic proceeding; obstruction of and effort to obstruct an charismatic proceeding; and conspiracy against rights. The lawsuit stems from Jan. 6, 2021, erstwhile supporters of Trump breached nan U.S. Capitol.
The Supreme Court is presently weighing whether Trump has statesmanlike immunity successful nan case.
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"We person a large lawsuit coming — this judge wouldn’t let maine to go, but we person a large lawsuit coming astatine nan Supreme Court connected statesmanlike immunity," Trump said to nan press, referring to nan Supreme Court weighing whether Trump is immune from prosecution successful Special Counsel Jack Smith’s predetermination interference case.
"A president has to person immunity," he added. "If you don't person immunity, you conscionable person a ceremonial president."
"We want Trump," supporters of nan president said during nan event.
